WO2003038205A1

WO2003038205A1 - Insulated concrete form-work for building

Info

Publication number: WO2003038205A1
Application number: PCT/CA2001/001554
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard Mcnamara
Original assignee: Bernard Mcnamara
Priority date: 2001-11-01
Filing date: 2001-11-01
Publication date: 2003-05-08
Also published as: EP1442180A1

Abstract

An assembly of structural components for use as form-work in the construction of a building. One structural component includes an elongated rigid sheet member provided with at least two opposite integral lengthwise rails. Another structural component includes a first flat wall structural part, having a slider member, and a second elbowed corner structural part having a hook member. A last structural component consists of a flat insulation panel having a number of elongated channels. Each of these channels may be reinforced by a stud, being incorporated into a molded insulating panel. These structural components releasably slidingly interlock with one another about their rails hooks and sliders, to form a hollow quadrangular cell. These cells are opened at a top mouth to receive liquid concrete to be poured in liquid state. These cells form a continuous wall structure, and thus liquid concrete can build up as a vertical column therein, where it is allowed to cure. The insulation panel forms the +external structural wall of the building.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION : INSULATED CONCRETE FORM-WORK FOR BUILDING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to interlocking factory-made structural components, particularly extruded plastic panels and rigid foam panel insulating components, for assembly by unskilled labour into a building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement over applicant's U.S. patent No 5 608 999 issued March 11, 1997.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The gist of this invention is to provide a system of lightweight building wall modular components for building constructions, especially designed for countries where thermal insulation is required or desirable. An important object of the invention is that said modular components be of easy assembly by unskilled labour.

A general object of the invention is to provide a building system combining home country state of the art technology with local labor and locally available building materials, wherein the total project cost for a building unit be very low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an assembly of structural components for use as form- work in the construction of a building. One structural component includes an elongated rigid sheet member provided with at least two opposite integral lengthwise rails. Another structural component includes a first flat wall structural part,having a slider member, and a second elbowed corner structural part having a hook member. A last structural component consists of a flat insulation panel having a number of elongated channels. Each of these channels may be reinforced by a stud, being incorporated into a molded insulating panel. These structural components releasably slidingly interlock with one another about their rails hooks and sliders, to form a hollow quadrangular cell. These cells are opened at a top mouth to receive liquid concrete to be poured in liquid state. These cells form a continuous wall structure, and thus liquid concrete can build up as a vertical column therein, where it is allowed to cure. The insulation panel forms the external structural wall of the building.

The invention also relates to an insulated wall member for use as an external component of an upright concrete wall form-work in a building, said wall member comprising an insulating panel defining an external face, an internal face, and at least a few channels each having a mouth opening through said internal face thereof; said channels for slidingly receiving and anchoring form-work connector elements , said internal face for direct engagement by and containment of a vertical column of liquid concrete, before curing thereof.

Preferably, there is further included an acrylic concrete base coat layer, applied against said insulating panel external face. The thickness of said base-coat layer may range between 1 and 5 mm, most preferably being about 3 mm. A right angle metallic reinforcing panels could be temporarily fixedly anchored against said insulating panel external face at corner portions of the building, until cement curing. Said insulating panel may be made up of a number of insulating foam boards, edgewisely interconnected in successive coplanar pairs by tenon and mortise joint means.

The invention also relates to an insulated concrete wall form-work for a building, said form-work for containing a number of upright concrete columns in registering adjacent fashion from one another, said form- work defining a number of cell members each including: - an insulating panel defining an internal face, an external face, and at least a few channels extending in between said internal face and said external face, each of said channels having a mouth opening outwardly through said internal face thereof; - a number of elongated thermoplastic first connector elements, each having an outer end, slidingly engaged into a corresponding one of said channels inside said insulating panels, and an inner end; - a number of anchoring members, anchoring the outer ends of said first connector elements into corresponding said insulating panels channels; - a number of elongated thermoplastic second connector elements, each of the latter extending in between and straddling two successive said first connector elements, said second connector elements having first and second ends; and - hook members, interlocking said first and second ends of one of said second connector elements to the inner ends of two successive said first connector elements.

Preferably, said anchoring members are integral to said first connector elements outer ends. Each of said anchoring members could be an elongated rigid cross-sectionally H-shape element having an inner leg projecting outwardly from said insulating panel channels, and each of said first connector elements outer ends includes a clamp member fixedly engaging said inner leg of said H-shape element. Preferaboy, there is further included an acrylic concrete base coat layer, applied against said insulating panel external face. The thickness of said base-coat layer may range between 1 and 5 mm, most preferably being about 3 mm.

The invention also relates to a method of erecting an insulated concrete wall structure for a building, comprising the following steps: a) providing a number of insulating panels in edgewisely registering upright coplanar condition, each of said insulating panels having an exposed outer face and elongated channels extending in between said outer face and said inner face, each of said channels opening inwardly at an inner face thereof opposite said outer face thereof; b) providing a number of structural rigid sheet members, extending parallel to and spacedly from corresponding said insulating panels, each of said sheet members defining a hook member; c) providing a number of elongated rigid connector elements, each having one and another clamp end; d) interlocking said one clamp end of said connector elements with a corresponding said hook member of said sheet members; e) slidingly engaging said another clamp end of said connector elements into corresponding said channels of said sheet members, wherein a number of permanent form-work cells are formed with said insulating panels being an external side thereof, said form-work cells each defining a top mouth; f) pouring liquid concrete through each said cells top mouth and into said cells; and g) allowing the liquid concrete to cure inside said form-work cells.

This method could be for use in constructing a building having comer wall portions, so that there would be further included the following step, performed between said step (e) and (f): (ea) fixedly anchoring a reinforcing right angle metallic panel against said exposed outer face of the insulating panels at each corner wall portions of the building. The following step could also be performed after said step (g): (h) removing all right angle metallic panels. A last step could consist of applying a mm-magnitude acrylic concrete base-coat layer onto the exposed outer face of said insulating panels.

This invention also relates to an insulated concrete wall form-work for a building, said form-work for containing a number of upright concrete columns in registering adjacent fashion from one another, said form- work defining a number of cell members each including: - an insulating molded panel defining an internal face, an external face and at least a few extruded studs integral to said panel and opening outwardly therefrom; - a number of elongated thermoplastic first connector elements, each having an outer end, slidingly engaged into a corresponding one of said studs inside said insulating panels, and an inner end; - a number of elongated thermoplastic second connector elements, each of the latter extending in between and straddling two successive said first connector elements, said second connector elements having first and second ends; and hook members, interlocking said first and second ends of one of said second connector elements to the inner ends of two successive said first connector elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a first embodiment of interlocked wall panels from a corner and T-intersection of an insulated building according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric top end view of the elements from figure 1; Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a second embodiment of interlocked wall panels from a corner and T-intersection of an insulated building; Figure 4 is an isometric view of the elements from figure 3; Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a third embodiment of interlocked wall panels from a corner and T-intersection of an insulated building;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the elements from figure 5; and

Figure 7, on the fourth sheet of drawings, is an enlarged cross- sectional view taken along line 7-7 of figure 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1 and 2 show in horizontal cross-section and in isometric view, respectively, a first embodiment of the invention, with two side walls 10 of a building

(not shown). A shown in these figures, the side wall 10 consists of a plurality of hollow cells 14, 14', ... to be filled with concrete C and being interlocked to one another in successive pairs in a fashion detailed below. Each cell 14, 14', ... is quadrangular in cross-section, defining four side walls 12, 16, 16', 18, circumscribing the cell 14. The top end of the cells 14 forms an open mouth 19, adapted to receive in gravity-fed fashion flow-through liquid concrete to be poured inside cell 14, before allowing it to harden and cure. The lateral side walls 16, 16', and internal side wall 18 of the cells 14 should be made from a waterproof, rigid material, being relatively thin while being capable of withstanding the loading of liquid concrete inside the inner cell 42; while the exterior side wall 12 should be made from a thick thermally insulating rigid panel 12. Preferably, this side wall material for walls 16, 16', 18 will be an extruded thermoplastic sheet material, while the insulated panel 12 could be any type of plastic foam, for example a rigid flat panel polystyrene foam or a rigid flat panel polyurethane foam board. Walls 16, 18 as well as insulating panels 12 in their disassembled condition, can be stacked to take the minimum volume, so as to reduce shipping costs before assembly. All the components have been thought off to enable the most efficient stacking features. The extrusions 16, 18, will be shipped in cardboard boxes or in plastic packagings, into which may be loaded the various required structural components to make a given wall, while the insulating panel boards 12 will be simply stacked flatly one over the other in superimposed fashion.

Therefore, in the present invention, there are basically two main types of extruded panel members 16, (16'), 18, which are used for the side walls of the building but not for insulation board 12: a) a first panel member 16, having enlarged end portion 20 and hook portion 22 at opposite ends thereof; b) a second panel member 18, defining a main body being flat and carrying clamps 24, 26, at opposite ends thereof. Preferably, first and second panel members 16, 18, are integral and orthogonally coextensive to one another. Another panel member 16', similar to the first panel member 16, is provided to be connected to a second successive panel member 18'.

The internal face 12B of insulation board panels 12 is formed with a number of elongated channels 28. Channels 28 open into corresponding cells 14, extend lengthwisely of foam panels 12 and vertically of walls 10 and open at a top mouth (19a). Accordingly, the enlarged end portions 20 of extruded wall members 16, 16', ... form slider members engageable through the top end mouth 19a of the insulation board channel 28, and slidable downwardly to their operative fully engaged position. A quadrangular cell 14 is thus formed, with insulation board 12 constituting the external structural wall of the cell. Once the liquid concrete has been completely filled inside the cell 14, the building wall 10 will then become completely monolithic after the concrete has cured, and all the components 12, 16, 18, will become permanently anchored to the thus formed upright concrete columns, as if they would have been cast all at the same time. A reinforcing steel bar (not shown) could also be provided between the concrete flooring and the walls 10, and /or also inside the vertical walls according to the building structural needs.

Preferably, a cross-sectionally C-shape panel member 30 may also be provided integrally to panel 18 and projecting inwardly inside cells 14, and having a pair of inturned flanges 30A, 30B, at opposite end edges thereof, for through passage by electrical lines (not shown). Panel 30 is formed before concrete curing. For accessing the electrical lines inside channel 30, there is only required to bore an opening in the interior wall 18, to allow the electrical lines to extend to the top of the wall 18, and to jump the lines from one room to another through a gap provided in the building upper sill (not shown).

From figures 1-2, it will now be understood how the main components 12, 16, 18, of the invention can become interlocked to one another to form a building structure.

Preferably, before liquid concrete loading starts into cells 14, a right angle steel reinforcement panel 32 is temporarily added against each corner portion of the external face 12A of corner insulation boards 12, to reinforce same during liquid concrete loading, but is removed after the cell concrete has cured. Comer steel panel 32 is fixedly secured to two adjacent foam panels 12 at right angle to one another by screws 34. After concrete C in cells 14 has hardened, screws 34 are unscrewed from foam panels 12 and the steel panel 32 is removed. Since the resiliency of the foam material inside panels 12 is such that it expands to close the cavity left by the release of the screws 34, no thermal bridge remains in this area of the insulation panels 12.

As illustrated in figure 7 of the drawings, the external face 112A of the upright insulating panels 112 should preferably be covered by a thin layer of acrylic concrete base-coat 100. Acrylic concrete base-coat 100 is recommended for the second embodiment of insulating panel 112 (figs 3-4) and third embodiment of insulating panel 212 (figs 5-6), for reinforcing same, but not necessary for the first embodiment of insulating panel 12 because the latter already includes reinforcing structural studs 36. This acrylic concrete base-coat layer 100 is applied to the external face 12A of the upright panels 12, for example with a trowel, such that a substantially continuous outer base-coat layer 100 be formed as the exposed outer surface of building wall 10. The insulating panels 12 should be full, i.e. without any through channels or bores that could undesirably allow accidental flow-through seepage of acrylic concrete compound from the base-coat layer 100 from the external face 12A to the internal face 12B of the panel 12, to prevent formation of a localized thermal bridge across an insulation panel 12 that would compromise the thermal insulation value of the insulating panels. Insulating panels 12 are preferably flat rigid panels on both the external and and internal faces thereof.

Preferably, the base coat layer 100 is laid onto the insulating board exposed face 12A inside the manufacturing plant of the insulating board, i.e. before shipment to the building site. However, laying of the base coat layer 100 could also be alternately performed on the building site, although this is less advantageous. The compound of layer 100 is preferably acrylic concrete, but alternate layering elements could also be used, e.g. wooden clapboard, PNC sheeting applied against a nailed wooden backing, aluminum sheets, brick, or other similar suitable material. However, acrylic concrete is preferred, for example that sold under the following trademarks:

ACRYFIX (manufactured by UΝIFIX inc., from Bromont, Canada) DUROC (manufactured by DUROCK ALFACI G INTERNATIONAL LTD, from Woodsbridge, Canada); and STEF (manufactured by ENDUITS STEF inc. from Sherbrooke, Canada).

It is to be understood that the thickness of the base-coat layer 100 should be sufficient to impart waterproofhess to the upright insulating panels 12, enhanced resistance against insulating material brittleness and against adverse effects from weathering agents, as well as at least partially shielding the insulating panels 12 against external impacting or shearing forces. Some enhanced loading integrity resistance for the insulating foam panel 12 from the vertical column of liquid concrete build-up inside the forms only for the period required for the liquid concrete to cure, could also be provided by the added base-coat concrete layer 100. However, the thickness of the acrylic concrete base-coat layer 100 need not be large, since the purpose of this base coat layer 100 is not to constitute a structural wall layer. Typically, the thickness of base coat layer 100 over the external face 12A of the upright insulating panels 12 is the millimeter magnitude, and features unexpected results in efficiency when varying between preferably between 1 and 5 millimeters, and most preferably be about 3 mm thick where best results were achieved . The thickness of the base-coat layer 100 need not be constant throughout the external wall 12A of the upright insulating panels 12, and thus may vary for example in a wavy pattern.

Moreover, the exposed surface of the concrete base coat layer 100 could be covered by an additional finishing layer 102, for example acrylic based, of a color compound selected by the building owner.

The acrylic concrete in layer 100 conventionally includes a hydraulic cement binder, water, an aggregate material, and an acrylic ingredient. Concrete is preferred because of its worldwide availably, low cost, high strength, and ease of casting.

In the first embodiment of figures 1 and 2, a reinforcing thermoplastic cross-sectionally C-shape stud insert 36 is incorporated into the insulating panel 12, during molding of panel 12. This monolithic panel and insert combination 12, 36, allows for more positively receiving the enlarged complementarily shaped outer end portion 20 of thermoplastic sheet 16. Stud 36 also prevents accidental deformation of panel 12 and accidental release from panel 12, and thus prevents damage to the insulating panels 12 under torsional forces borne by the sheet 16 during liquid concrete pouring inside cell 14. Alternatively, stud insert could have a portion (not illustrated) projecting outwardly from the inside wall 12B, into the cell C.

In the second embodiment of figures 3-4, the enlarged end portion 120 of panel 116 abuts flatly against the interior wall 112B of insulating board 112. An H-shape connector 150 is slidingly engaged into a wire cut channel 128, with one leg

150a projecting beyond channel 128 and slidingly engaged into a complementarily shaped rail section of enlarged end portion 120.

The third embodiment of figures 5-6 of the drawings is similar to the second embodiment of figs 3-4, except that there is no H-shape connector inserted into insulated board channels 128, so that it is the enlarged outer end portion 220 of thermoplastic sheet 216 that slidingly engage into channel 228 of insulating board

212.

As suggested in figures 1-6, the structural insulating panels may be edgewisely interconnected to one another in coplanar fashion by tenon and mortise joint means 45.

All the building system has been developed so that, during the preparation of the plans of the building, all the components forming the building be defined by computer-assisted design, to be thereafter manufactured and precut in the home factory. No component sectioning is required on the building site, and the system assembly is performed by unskilled labor. This system thus enables the conception and production at a large scale of the building, while considerably decreasing the timeframe for manufacture and execution thereof.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. An insulated concrete wall form- work for a building, said form- work for containing a number of upright concrete columns in registering adjacent fashion from one another, said form- work defining a number of cell members each including:

- an insulating panel defining an internal face, an external face and at least a few extruded studs integral to said panel and opening outwardly therefrom;

- a number of elongated thermoplastic first connector elements, each having an outer end, slidingly engaged into a corresponding one of said studs inside said insulating panels, and an inner end;

- a number of elongated thermoplastic second connector elements, each of the latter extending in between and straddling two successive said first connector elements, said second connector elements having first and second ends; and

- hook members, interlocking said first and second ends of one of said second connector elements to the inner ends of two successive said first connector elements.

2. An insulated concrete wall form- work as in claim 1, further including an acrylic concrete base coat layer, applied against said insulating panel external face.

3. An insulated concrete wall form- work as in claim 2, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer ranges between 1 and 5 mm.

4. An insulated concrete wall form- work as in claim 3, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer is about 3 mm.

5. An insulated concrete wall form- work as in claim 1 , further including right angle metallic reinforcing panels, fixedly anchored against said insulating panel external face at comer portions of a building formed by a number of such insulated concrete wall form- works.

6. An insulated concrete wall form- work as in claim 1, wherein said insulating panel is made up of a number of insulating foam boards, edgewisely interconnected in successive coplanar pairs by tenon and mortise joint means.

7. An insulated wall member for use as an external component of an upright concrete wall form-work in a building, said wall member comprising an insulating panel defining an external face, an internal face, and at least a few channels each having a mouth opening through said internal face thereof; said channels for slidingly receiving and anchoring form-work connector elements , said internal face for direct engagement by and containment of a vertical column of liquid concrete, before curing thereof.

8. An insulating wall member as in claim 7, further including an acrylic concrete base coat layer, applied against said insulating panel external face.

9. An insulating wall member as in claim 8, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer ranges between 1 and 5 mm.

10. An insulating wall member as in claim 9, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer is about 3 mm.

11. An insulated concrete wall form- work for a building, said form- work for containing a number of upright concrete columns in registering adjacent fashion from one another, said form- work defining a number of cell members each including: . - an insulating panel defining an internal face, an external face, and at least a few channels extending in between said internal face and said external face, each of said channels having a mouth opening outwardly through said internal face thereof; - a number of elongated thermoplastic first connector elements, each having an outer end, slidingly engaged into a corresponding one of said channels inside said insulating panels, and an inner end;

- a number of anchoring members, anchoring the outer ends of said first connector elements into corresponding said insulating panels channels;

12. A form- work as in claim 11, wherein said anchoring members are integral to said first connector elements outer ends.

13. A form- work as in claim 11 , wherein each of said anchoring members is an elongated rigid cross-sectionally H- shape element having an inner leg projecting outwardly from said insulating panel channels, and each of said first connector elements outer ends includes a clamp member fixedly engaging said inner leg of said H-shape element.

14. A form- work as in claim 11 , further including an acrylic concrete base coat layer, applied against said insulating panel external face.

15. A form- work as in claim 14, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer ranges between 1 and 5 mm.

16. A form- work as in claim 15, wherein the thickness of said base-coat layer is about 3 mm.

17. A method of erecting an insulated concrete wall structure for a building, comprising the following steps: a) providing a number of insulating panels in edgewisely registering upright coplanar condition, each of said insulating panels having an exposed outer face and elongated channels extending in between said outer face and said inner face, each of said channels opening inwardly at an inner face thereof opposite said outer face thereof; b) providing a number of structural rigid sheet members, extending parallel to and spacedly from corresponding said insulating panels, each of said sheet members defining a hook member; c) providing a number of elongated rigid connector elements, each having one and another clamp end; d) interlocking said one clamp end of said connector elements with a corresponding said hook member of said sheet members; e) slidingly engaging said another clamp end of said connector elements into corresponding said channels of said sheet members, wherein a number of permanent form-work cells are formed with said insulating panels being an external side thereof, said form-work cells each defining a top mouth; f) pouring liquid concrete through each said cells top mouth and into said cells; and g) allowing the liquid concrete to cure inside said form-work cells.

18. A method of erecting as in claim 17, further including the following step, performed between said steps (a) and (b): (aa) applying a mm-magnitude acrylic concrete base-coat layer onto said exposed outer face of said insulating panels.

19. A method of erecting as in claim 17, for use in constructing a building having comer wall portions, and further including the following step, performed between said step (e) and (f): (ea) fixedly anchoring a reinforcing right angle metallic panel against said exposed outer face of the insulating panels at each comer wall portions of the building.

20. A method of erecting as in claim 19, further including the following step, performed after said step (g): (h) removing all right angle metallic panels.

21. A method of erecting as in claim 20, further including a last step consisting of applying a mm-magnitude acrylic concrete base-coat layer onto the exposed outer face of said insulating panels.

22. A form- work as in claim 11 , further including right angle metallic reinforcing panels, fixedly anchored against said insulating panel external face at corner portions of the building.

23. A form- work as in claim 11 , wherein said insulating panel is made up of a number of insulating foam boards, edgewisely interconnected in successive coplanar pairs by tenon and mortise joint means.